Massage apparatus.



No. 733,977. PATBNTED JULY 21, 1903.. F. G. LAGBRSTROM & A. G. ANDERSON.

MASSAGE APPARATUS. APPLICATION IILED um. so, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Wflnesses mfgn l ors aw M,

UNITED STATES Patented. July. 21, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS G. LAGERSTROM AND ANDREW G. ANDERSON, OF SALINA, KANSAS.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,977, dated Jul 21,1903.

Application filed March 30, 1903. Serial Nol50,283. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANCIS G. LAGER- STROM and ANDREW G. ANDERSON,citizens of the United States of America, residing at Salina, in thecounty of Saline and State of Kansas, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Massage Apparatus, of'which the following is aspecification.

The invention has special reference to that class of massage implementswhich have a movable member, such as a wheel or a cylinder or a ball orthe like, adapted to be moved about on the body under pressure withoutcausing any friction on the skin or body further than is caused by suchpressure. It also has special reference to electrical massageinstruments.

The general objects are toimprove and simplify theconstruction and useof such implements.

Special objects are to provide a massage implement having a movablemember capable of movement in all directions, so as to be used in thecircular motion; to provide an electrical implement of similar nature;to combine the parts, so as to have all the good effects of both thecircular movement and elece tricity with the least possible exertion onthe part of the masseur.

The invention consists of the novel combination, arrangement, anddisposition of theparts, one of the preferred forms of the embodimentwhereof is herein described and able member or ball, showing especiallythe} location of the pole-pieces on the surface of the ball and themethod of securing the two parts of the ball together and of securingthe battery inside the ball and of electrically connecting the poles ofthe battery with the polepieces in the surface of the ball.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A is the handle or fixed member.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with parts 1 B is the ball or movable member.

By a fixed member, as the term is used in this specification, we mean amember whose position with reference to the body is constant as it ismoved about or whose position is quite immaterial, as it does not comein contact with the body. By a movable member we mean'a memberadapted tocome in contact with the body, but which changes its position withreference to the body as it is moved about the body-that is to say,revolves 0n the body as a wheel or a cylinder or a ball.

The handle A has a socket consisting of the cups C and D, in which theball B may rotate in all directions. The cup D is mounted on theset-screw E, which engages the lug F of the handle A and is locked inplace by the jam-nut G.

The battery H is set in a suitable threaded metallic band I,whichengages the internallythreaded metallic bands J and K, which are part ofthe hemispheres b and b, respectively, which form the ball B.

L L are contact-springs on the battery H,

insulated, P, from the threaded band I and adapted to come inLo'cont-actwith the metallic contact-bands M M, which are embedded in the innersurface of the respective hemispheres b and 1). One pole of the batteryis connected, N, to the band I and the other pole is connected, 0 O, tothe contactsprings L L.

As indicated already, the ball B is hollow. The shell may be hard rubberor other suitable'insulating material. Embedded in the surface of theball are the pole-pieces R R R, which are separated from each other bysuitable ridges S S S of the insulating material. The said pole-piecesare connected to the battery as follows: One pole of the battery,through the wires 0 O, contact-springs L L, contact-bands M M, and wires'm m m m, is connected to alternate pole-pieces, while the other-pole,through the Wires N, band I, bands J K, and wires '11 71 an, isconnected to the other pole-pieces. The ball B may be opened byunscrewing either of the hemispheres b or b from the rim or band I ofthe battery, and the battery may be entirely removed from the ball bysimply unscrewing the remaining hemisphere. The ball maybe removed fromthe handle by unscrewing the set-screw E. When the two hemispheres arescrewed tightly together,the ball has a smooth surface, as indicated inthe drawings, so that the ball may move in all directions in the socketof the handle. Although here shown as a friction-bearing, it is plainthat any suitable bearing may be nsedsuch, for instance, asball-bearings.

An implement of this kind capable of movement in all directions isespecially adapted to massage by the circular movement. An instrument ofthis kind is especially effective in cases of constipation, as in suchcases the patient can easily be his own masseur by lying on his back andpassing the implement around in a circular motion over the abdomen,especially following around over the colon.

That which we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.

1. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the ball havingpole-pieces insulated from each other, and a source of electrical energyconnected with the pole-pieces.

2. Inamassage apparatus, the combination of the ball and the sockettherefor, the ball being capable of rotary motion in all directions andhaving pole-pieces, and a source of electrical energy connected with thepolepieces.

3. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the ball and the handle,the ball being mounted in the handle and capable of movement in alldirections, and having pole-pieces insulated from each other, and thesource of electrical energy connected with the polepieces.

4. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the movable member and thefixed member, the movable member mounted on the fixed member and capableof rotary movement in all directions and having pole-pieces insulatedfrom each other; and a source of electrical energy connected with thepolepieces.

5. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the movable member havingpole-pieces on the surface thereof insulated from each other, and asource of electrical energy within the movable member connected with thepolepieces.

6. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the movable member havingpole-pieces insulated from each other; the fixed member on which themovable member is mounted so as to be capable of rotary motion in alldirections; and the source of electrical energy within the movablemember connected with the pole-pieces.

7. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the ball and the sockettherefor, the ball being capable of rotating in all directions andhaving pole-pieces insulated from each other; and a source of electricalenergy within the ball connected with the pole-pieces. I

8. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the ball and the handle,the ball being mounted in the handle and capable of rotating in alldirections and having pole-pieces; and a source of electrical energywithin the ball connected to the pole-pieces.

9. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the movable member and thefixed member, the movable member being mounted on the fixed member andcapable of motion in all directions and having pole-pieces in thesurface thereot' insulated from each other; and a source of electricalenergy within the movable member connected with the pole-pieces.

10. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the movable member havingpolepieces embedded in the surface thereof and insulated from eachother, and a source of electrical energy within the movable memberconnected with the pole-pieces.

11. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the fixed member having asocket; the movable member having pole pieces embedded in the surfacethereof insulated from each other, mounted in the socket, and capable ofmotion in all directions; and the battery within the movable member, theopposite poles of the battery being connected to the pole-piecesalternately.

12. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the fixed member having asocket and forming the handle; the movable hollow spherical memberremovably mounted in the socket, capable of motion in all directions,and

having pole-pieces embedded in the outer surface; and the batteryremovably held within the movable member, the opposite poles of thebattery being electrically connected with the pole-pieces alternately.

13. In a massage apparatus, the combination of the fixed member having asocket and forming the handle; the hollow spherical movable memberremovably mounted in the socket, capable of rotary motion inalldirections, having pole-pieces insulated from each other embedded inthe exterior surface thereof, and consisting of the two separablehemispheres; and the battery within the movable member, the oppositepoles being connected with the pole-pieces alternately.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures in"presence of two wit nesses.

FRANCIS G. LAGERSTROM. ANDREW G. ANDERSON.

\Vitnesses:

T. D. FITZPATRICK, (J. L. HUNT.

